The present invention relates generally to in-line fuel valves, and more particularly to emergency fuel shut-off valves for terminating the supply of fuel to a dwelling in the event of an emergency such as a fire, or in the event of non-payment, such termination being activated by authorized personnel from outside the dwelling.
Fires in apartment and office dwellings have always been of great concern, not only because of the danger to the many inhabitants in such dwellings, but also because of the danger presented to the firemen and other personnel fighting the fire. In buildings of all sizes, fires weaken supporting structures so that firemen often risk being crushed by collapsing floors and walls. More dangerous, however, is the problem presented by the leaking of fuel, such as natural gas, from gas lines and gas appliances which have been damaged by the fire. Oftentimes, such leaking gases become trapped in an isolated area to form large gas pockets. These gas pockets are easily ignited by the flames of the fire or damaged electrical appliances, thus causing large explosions within a burning building.
A less emergent but economically important problem is that of terminating the supply of fuel to a dwelling for non-payment. When such termination requires access to the interior of a dwelling, gas company personnel have often been refused such access so they could carry out their responsibilities. A further problem is that of the building owner or other individual restoring the supply of gas to a dwelling after the gas company has terminated the same by reason of non-payment, condemnation, or an emergency. This could, of course, be dangerous because the individual effecting the restoration of the gas supply is often not trained or licensed to inspect the gas supply system.
It has therefore become desirable and often mandated by safety regulations, to provide a system for terminating the supply of fuel to an apartment or office dwelling. A system of this type should preferably be adaptable for modifying existing dwellings as well as for use in dwellings under construction. Ideally, such a system would include a curbside access so that authorized personnel could terminate the supply of fuel from the main supply line to the main service in the dwelling without having to enter the dwelling. Many newer dwellings were constructed to include systems such as curb valves for shutting off the gas supply in the event of an emergency, nonpayment or condemnation. However, such curb valves, as well as other systems provided in newer buildings, do not include backup features so that the system is failsafe if curbside actuation is rendered impossible by unforeseen or unavoidable events. Thus, it is preferable that an emergency shut-off system would also provide alternate means for terminating the supply of fuel to the dwelling in the event that such termination cannot be effected at the curbside access.
With respect to the problem of unauthorized restoration of the supply of gas, a gas termination system of the type considered herein would preferably provide restoration means which could be successfully utilized only by authorized personnel.
More relevant to the present invention is the installation of an emergency fuel shut-off system in older dwellings. The time, expense and risk of digging up the street and sidewalk to expose gas service lines so that a curb valve or valve tee could be installed has prompted building owners to employ other methods of modifying older dwellings.
Thus, the foregoing demonstrates that a reusable emergency gas shut-off valve adapted to be installed in existing dwellings or dwellings under construction so that the fuel supply to the dwelling can be shut off from a substantially tamper-proof curbside access is warranted. Such an emergency gas shut-off valve should be easy and inexpensive to install, obviating the need to and risk of digging up the street and sidewalk to provide a curb valve or curb tee. It should also include a visual indicator and backup features so that the fuel supply can be shut off by means other than the curbside access.